Field Vet - England

• Confident communicator able to translate technical information into clear insights, navigating difficult stakeholder and customer conversations professionally and with sensitivity.
• Progression beyond day-one competences, including a combination of animal handling, risk assessment, and decision making in a veterinary context, which could include epidemiological or welfare investigations.
• Proven ability, in an operational environment, to work independently within legislative frameworks, applying professional judgement to deliver proportionate solutions, manage priorities, and make informed decisions while seeking support where appropriate.
• Works effectively within multidisciplinary teams, adapting communication styles to diverse audiences and facilitating knowledge transfer through high-quality reports, guidance, training materials, and presentations.
• Maintenance of accurate, evidence-based records, whilst understanding the critical importance of quality assurance audits and processes in supporting high-quality outputs.
• Demonstration of an in-depth awareness and understanding of the importance of the principles of veterinary certification.

Support and training

Successful candidates will receive a comprehensive programme of training and support as part of their induction into APHA. Learning and development will be tailored to the role, recognising that candidates will join with different levels of experience, confidence and skills.

Training materials are designed to help all new entrants build the knowledge, confidence and competence needed to deliver APHA’s work effectively.

New veterinary staff will also become part of regional, country and GB-wide teams, with access to broad support across all aspects of APHA work.

Licences

• A valid driving licence that covers the UK, access to a vehicle with appropriate business use insurance.

Qualifications

• Minimum of Bachelor of Veterinary Science or equivalent

Memberships

• A Member or Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, with a status of ‘UK Practising’ at commencement of the role.

Languages

Must have demonstrable skills in written and spoken English to enable effective communication about veterinary topics with customers and colleagues and meet one of the following:

• have undertaken undergraduate veterinary training in English;
• or
• having a sufficient command of spoken and written English to effectively perform the role being undertaken by a public sector worker in a customer-facing role
• or
• have achieved the following scores in the academic international English Language Testing System (IELTS) or equivalent in a single sitting within 24 months at time of application – Overall 7, Speaking 7, Listening 7, Reading 7, Writing 7.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Understanding of notifiable exotic animal diseases in GB.
• Animal welfare issues in GB agriculture.
• Understanding of the control of endemic animal diseases in GB, such as TB.
• Veterinary ethics and principles of certification

Alongside your salary of £42,665, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes £12,360 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

Benefits:

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

Stage 1

Application Process

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:

• A CV submitted through an on-line tool accessed through the Civil Service Jobsite; there is no requirement to upload your personal CV.
• A 500-word Personal Statement.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Your CV should consist of your career history, including any key achievements and your main responsibilities in each role and be no longer than 2 pages. Your CV will be used to provide further context on your Personal Statement and scored against the Person Specification section.

Personal Statement Guidance

When completing your Personal Statement, please read and understand the Person Specification thoroughly, as this is what your written evidence will be assessed against. Please ensure you evidence the key personal qualities and experiences that align with the role’s requirements. Consider the Job Description and look to demonstrate how your previous experience may align with the expectations and be applicable to the role. The written evidence you provide must relate to your own experiences. Your layout is entirely your preference; you may choose narrative, bullets, etc.

We encourage you to use the full 500 word allowance of the Personal Statement but not to exceed.

You may choose to address each criteria separately, however, one narrative example may cover and evidence several Person Specification points.

Should a high volume of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the Personal Statement.

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift and/or progressed straight to interview.

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

For guidance and information on how to construct your application (CV, Personal Statement and Behaviours), you are encouraged to visit the Civil Service Careers website. How to write your CV, Civil Service Careers

Stage 2

Preparing for the interview

If you are invited to interview you will receive an electronic notification to your Civil Service Jobs site.

Once you receive the invite to interview you will need to access the system and book yourself an interview slot in advance.

The interviews will be conducted by MS Teams and you will need to use your personal device